Alternativ Storyline
by Kapka
Summary: What if Lauren left her family after the bowling? What if she chose something different? How would things go?
1. Chapter 1

**Lauren's POV**

 _ **Five years ago**_

"Observe the master," says Andy and then throws a strike.

"Alright" applauds their grandma.

"Girls are up," says dad.

Lauren puts her drink on the table and she goes up to bowl. Andy tried to distract her so she would miss a pin.

"Not so good as me," says Andy. Lauren wants to shut him so she moves her hand and the last pin falls too. The Family applauds her but she misses her brother reaction. She notices a group who are laughing at some girl. Lauren immediately knows why. The girl is shaking or vibrating- she is a mutant.

"Dad, do you see this?" she asks.

"Lauren, it's none of our business." her mother says.

Her dad turns to Andy, "Come on, Andy"

The girl's dad tries to protect her but he can't do anything... Suddenly a wave of air came from the girl. Lauren feels it so strongly, it was full of anger and hopelessness. Everything on the group's table flies away.

Lauren's dad goes to talk to girl's dad. Lauren doesn't understand what her dad says but, she doesn't have to. The man takes his daughter and Leaves, he was so angry.

"Everything's all right." says her dad to them when he returned.

"Is it?" asks Lauren. Her dad looks away then he goes to Andy "Come on, guys. Let's bowl."

Lauren feels this feeling, she used to know him so well, but she is afraid of giving it a name.

 _ **Present**_

Luren stood on the roof of an abandoned bank which became a home to her over two years ago. It's night so she could just feel the air and watches the stars and the lights of the city between the treetops. She should have know Marcos would do something stupid. He can't think clearly without Lorna.

Against her will, she replays last few hours. Lorna was arrested by Sentinel Services, then she heard from television news about the accident in the school gym, and Clarice told her and John that Marcos left it was just too much.

She sometimes thinks about it. She thinks it can happen... The truth is she knows this school, and she immediately knew who did it. If she has the X gene there is a huge chance he has it too- and she was right.

"You know you can't avoid them forever" she heard from her. Then strong arms pull her into a hug. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear him come up. She leans her head on his chest and closes her eyes.

"I didn't avoid them. I was busy, doing inventory."

"Sage said that you even counted grains of sugar'' he said slowly.

She doesn't need to look at him and she knows they'll need to talk about it. She sighs and turns to him. "And what will I say to them?" she asks him "You know exactly how I left."

"Lauren, they haven't seen you for five years. Your brother just demolished a gym. Your dad was shot and arrested by Sentinel Services..." he stops and looks her in the eyes "They're your mother and brother. Do you really believe it matters so much what you say to them?"

Lauren sighs again and hugs him "I love you."

She feels him smiling. He gives her a kiss on her forehead "I love you too."

After a moment she steps back from him and she looks to the door. John's right- she has to speak with them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Lauren's POV**

Lauren goes down the staircase to ground floor. There's peace everywhere. For a while, she even thought that she'll go back up to John but she knows she must talk to them. If she doesn't do it right now she'll find something to do tomorrow morning and she'll be busy all day. She quietly walks through the building, everyone seems to be sleeping. John told her where she'll find them. She goes in the dark, she doesn't need light – she knows this place so well. With just a few steps to them, she stops.

Andy is sleeping but the place next to him is empty. She stays there for a moment until she heard steps behind her. She turns and sees her mother. She hasn't changed so much after five years – instead, Lauren has. How is that possible? Lauren doesn't know.

"Lauren" whisper her mum. Lauren put her fingers over her mouth and she indicates her mum to follow her. She leads her to back door and away from the bank. Before Lauren could say something her mum hugs her "I miss you so much, little girl."

Lauren gently breaks the hug and she steps back. She doesn't know what to say, so she keeps silent. Her mother doesn't notice it. She looks exhausted.

"You don't even know how much we were worried about you," she says. Then she falls silent as if she just notices how her daughter behaves towards her. Her mum looks at her and she says nothing. Different emotions cross her face – confusion, understanding and then pain. Lauren sees how difficult it is for her when she says "You changed so much."

"Yes, well I was gone more than five years." responded Lauren cautiously.

"Why did you leave? Why didn't you just say that you are a mutant? Why did you just leave?" her mum asks her. Lauren has to concentrate to hear her mum so she flinched herself when she heard a new voice. It was an angry voice.

"She didn't leave, mum. She ran away!" Andy is standing in the door. Before Lauren could say something he continues, "She ran away without saying goodbye! She only left a letter full of lies behind her!"

Lauren doesn't want to start a hassle but, Andy condemned her without knowledge of why she left, so she gets angry, too, "You don't have any idea why I left – why I had to leave! There wasn't any way I could stay. What I wrote to you all – to you is the truth. I decided to help mutants and that I belong to them didn't have anything to do with it."

Before she can continue she notices how Andy's arms are shaking. After last couple years, she saw this so often – Andy doesn't control himself.

Stones and other things begin to shake and move. Anger immediately leaves her. This is exactly what was she afraid of. Their mother notices what is happening and she finally speaks "Andy calm down. I -" the stairs that she stood on cracked and she falls. Everything around them begins to crack and turn to dust.

Lauren turns all her attention to her brother "Andy listen to me. Listen to my voice – and only my voice."

John and Marcos run out from the bank. She gives them a look to make them stay away. Andy sits down on the ground – he still is shaking. She turns back to her brother "Close your eyes, Andy, and listen to me – and breathe. Just breathe."

Suddenly she notices a big fragment – piece of an old car – pointing towards Andy. Lauren doesn't think and she jumps to Andy and makes a shield to protect him. She hugs and whispers in his ear reassuring words.

When everything stops Andy breaks away from her and he runs to their mum. Lauren stays on the ground until John comes to her and he helps her stand up. She quickly checks Marcos if is fine, then she turns to Andy. He cries in their mum's arms, when he felt that she was looking at him he looks up to her. He watches her and the look in his eyes froze her for a moment. Then she turns away and runs into the building, after a while, she hears John's steps.

 **John's POV**

John thinks about past events. He talked with Lauren a while ago. Lauren is usually calm and balanced. She controls her emotions better than the anyone and, he knows her better than anyone but it is even hard for him, to look through her mask when she doesn't want anyone to see what she is feeling. He tries to not think about how he found her on the roof.

He knows it's late so he was surprised by light from the safe deposit box. Even though he is exhausted he goes there, and he sees Marcos cutting out building bricks by the beam from his hands.

"You should go to bed," he says but Marcos ignores him. John pulled a chair over to him and observes him. Marcos's hands are shaking and his cuts weren't straight. John knows he should blame him for this stupidity that he was doing but he can't.

"She can handle it, you know Lorna is strong. She'll last until we find a way to get her out from there" he remarks.

Marcos looks up to him. He has an unreadable expression in his eyes "I know she can handle it" John want to say something but Marcos continues, "I'm not worried she can't."

"So what are you worried about? Because you are worried about someone," he asks Marcos confused.

"About the baby, Lorna is pregnant, John," he whispers. John heard him just fine but he can't speak, his head is empty.

"Lauren's dad told me that is why I went to him and his family. He promised me help if I get them to safety," he explains.

"You could have told me," says John. Everything makes sense to him now, and he thinks he doesn't need to say more.

"What would you do?" Marcos asks him.

"I'd go with you," he answers simply.

"Then Luren would also go and no one would be here." reminds Marcos.

"Sage and Sonja would be here."

"It isn't the same." Marcos disagrees and he returns back to bricks.

"We'll get Lorna back, she and the little one will be alright. I promise," says John. He wants to say more but he notices a noise as if something is crumbling, sounds coming from outside.

"We have a problem," he informs Marcos and then he runs to the source of the sounds Marcos is right behind him.

They find chaos outside. Lauren's mother on broken stairs, Andy standing under the stairs and he can't control himself. Everything around him is collapsing. Lauren stands in front of him and she tries to calm him down. When she notices them, she signaled them to stay back. John has to overcome himself to not run to her instead, he stops and holds Marcos back.

"Andy, close your eyes and listen to me – breathe. Just breathe." Lauren is trying to calm down her brother. John wishes he could help her but he couldn't do anything.

Then he sees Lauren jump to her brother as she makes a shield around them to protect him from the debris. She hugs him and holds him until everything stops. The boy breaks away from her immediately and he runs to his mum. John comes to Lauren while she is still on the ground and he helps her to her feet she seems to him as if she is in trance. Suddenly she turns away from them and runs back into the bank before he could do anything. John looks to Struckers and he notices how Andy turns his head away.

"Whatever you think you know you don't know even half of the story," he says then, he nodded to Marcos and he goes after Lauren. He knows Marcos will take care of these two.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's notice: This flashback isn't important for the story, I just want to write something like normal day in headquaters of Mutant Underground.**_

 **Lorna's POV**

 _almost two years ago_

" The kids asked me how we will be doing Christmas", announces Lauren when she came into the office and sat on the armrest of John's chair.

"Me too," Marcos joins and blinks to her. Lorna began to think that he wants Christmas more than these kids. Christmas doesn't appeal to her much. She doesn't really celebrate.

"And do you want to celebrate with them?" John looks to Lauren and he grabs her hand. It was clear to all of them that he means that this will be her first Christmas without her family. Lorna looks at the blonde closely. Lauren is small and tiny, but she controls her ability very well for her age so it's dangerous to go against her. Lorna already saw what kind of damage she can do when somebody gets in her way. John once remarked that they are similar in this way. Lorna not only likes her she even loves her. Only sometimes she imagines about what this girl had dealt with in the past. But she wasn't the only one with secrets of the past Lorna recalled with a look to Marcos.

"I don't know actually." she admits, "But why not? We should because of the kids, shouldn't we?" she asks uncertainly.

"We have a lot of work" Lorna reminds them.

"So we take Christmas from the kids?" asks Marcos.

"What do you think?" Lorna turns to John for advice.

"It would be just something small, I wouldn't say they expect a big Christmas party," says John pensively.

"Who said something about a big party?" asks Marcos, "I had in my mind something like having a meal together, playing games and homemade gifts."

"I think you should take care of it," says Lorna to him.

"If you want," he replies her and he tries to act as if he doesn't care about it. Lorna notices how John and Lauren share a look. Even though they have been together for such a short time, they were perfect together. Lorna would have been jealous if she didn't have Marcos.

"Can we talk about something important now?" Lorna tries to change the subject "Like what will we do with the new mutant?"

"Sage thinks he has some kind of telepathic abilities," Lauren informs her.

"If we find him in four days, we can send him across the border to Mexico with Tex's help. If we don't, we'll have him here for another three weeks," says Marcos and he turns to John.

"Sage and I worked on it and we're close. I'll track him down tomorrow," says John with certainty.

"I'm going with you," says Lorna. The rescue is the best of all this for her.

"Me too." Lauren joins. Then she remembers, "We need to send someone for stock replenishment. I can get some medical equipment but we need food."

"And coffee," adds Marcos.

"I controlled some places a few days ago, I'll give their list to Sage so she can send someone there." he stands up. He dosesn't like leaving these things after. He gives Lauren kiss and he walks out of the office.

"How is the one from last week?" asks Marcos.

"Not well after what he saw on television." reminds Lorna and she watches Lauren's reaction. They broadcasted an interview with his mum's prosecutor today, coincidentally this prosecutor is Reed Strucker, Lauren's dad. Lauren already got used to it so she just said, When we'll come back tomorrow, I'll work with him. Until that time Sonja has eyes on him."

Lorna wants to say something to her but she wasn't good at these kinds of talks and they would be only embarrassed so she keeps silent. Moreover, she realizes that this belongs to John's obligation as her boyfriend.

"I think this was enough." speaks up Lauren, "Good night you two."

Lorna and Marcos watch her walks away. Then Marcos turns to Lorna and hugs her "Do you want to sleep?"

Lorna smiles "Not really."

Marcos gives her a smile back and kisses her. Aurora borealis dancing around them.

 _Present_

Lorna looks around her. She is in the room with white walls and gray tiles on the floor. Space is divided by grids into individual cells. Only hers is occupied. Sometimes she hears watchmen's voices from next room. Otherwise, there is silence. No one is walking around so she was surprised when agent Turner with three other men came through the door. One of these men was a prisoner and she recognizes him.

"That's interesting." she notices she gets their attention. When they turn to her she smiles and asks "You want to tell me what my prosecutor's doing here?"

"Mr. Strucker's got legal problems of his own." agent Turner informs her and he opens the door for the next cell. His colleagues push the prisoner in

"He's heading to the same place you are," he adds.

"The same son of a bitch who tried to use my unborn child to get me to turn against my friends is going to prison with me?" she makes sure "What is it my birthday?"

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Ms. Dane." agent Turner interrupts her.

"It's Polaris," she said him when he's leaving.

Once agents are gone prosecutor turns to her and whispers "Listen to me a whole lot of things have happened that you don't know about. We need to stick together."

Lorna looks at him curiously. She can't believe he is thinking this "seriously are you asking me for help? You do remember our last meeting right? Remember I work with your long lost daughter?"

He flinched himself when she mentions Lauren but he says something unexpected" I know Marcos." he tries to convince her" I was working with him. That's why I am here."

Lorna was surprised and she wants to know more" Okay, then tell me about that."

"He was helping me, my wife and our son. We got caught by Sentinel Services-"

"Oh, so not only you try to put me in prison forever but almost got Marcos killed?" she starts to get angry.

"If we're gonna have a chance at getting out of here-" he didn't let himself be interrupted"Please, Ms. Dane – Polaris" he tries but Lorna turns and goes to another side of her cell. If she didn't, it threatened she'll stop control herself and with this collar around her neck, it wouldn't be the best idea. Prosecutor sighs and he sits.

It was silent for a long time then he speaks again"I know I'm probably not someone you want to talk to."

"You right about that," she says.

It seems he didn't hear her"I always told myself that was facing me in my courtroom was guilty. Told myself that I was the prosecutor and that the laws were clear and if you broke'em, it was on you. Told myself that I was doing my job. Then I found out that my daughter is mutant." he falls silent for a moment. Lorna wasn't sure if he spoke to her, to himself or to no one." There is a notice board in my work. Photos of searching mutants are on it. She is one of them. Every day I saw her face... I asked myself why she didn't tell me? Why she left instead?"

"She left because she wanted to help her people and if I may guess because she couldn't stand you doing your job. She chose her own side – and she is doing what she can to get mutants to safety without hurting someone," she says him a truth.

"I know she doesn't mean to hurt anybody... and Andy... Andy was just defending himself. But he'll get at least ten years. Maybe more. And before all of this, I would be the one making that argument." he looks at her" But I do understand now and I'm sorry."

" Congratulation on figuring out you are one of the bad guys," she says. Lorna couldn't believe what he said. How could he think that one stupid apology can fix everything? " But so what? If you would think about it sooner you wouldn't have destroyed so many lives? Do you want forgiveness?" She starts to be angry again" Ask the little boy who I had strapped into a bus while he screamed, begging to join his mommy in prison where you sent her. You know what? Ask the hundreds of families whose lives you and your friends ruined. Ask your daughter who comforts them. Don't ask me!"

One of the watchman stands up from his chair and he's coming to look at them so Lorna turns away. Before she did she saw how prosecutor looks lost.


	4. Chapter 4

Caitlin opens her eyes and looks around her, Andy's sleeping next to her, everything else is foreign. The dying nightmares were replaced by a terrible reality when she remembered where she is and what happened. The first daylight is falling at her She is sure that she can't sleep anymore so she stands up and she leaves her place. All mutants still sleeping. Caitlin doesn't know how they can be so calm after what happened. Of course, it wasn't their world which was destroyed – her's was. This was just another day full of survival efforts for them.

Caitlin doesn't know what to think nor what she will do. She can't figure it out. Thy only reason why she isn't collapsed yet is her Andy – he and Lauren. When Caitlin remembers her daughter she thinks that Lauren is the only good in this situation – she has her daughter back. Then she remembers how Lauren acts to them. She ignored them all day and then the incident outside... Caitlin doesn't want to reminisce it. She doesn't want to think that Lauren is completely different from the girl she once knew.

She figures out that she can't think seriously about anything. How will she figure out a way to get Reed from Sentinel Services. Together they can find what to do next. Because Caitlin can't do this alone. She decides to go and make coffee so she goes in the direction from where they brought the food yesterday evening. She wanders for a while then she was captivated by light. She goes after it and she hopes to find someone who will show her a direction to the kitchen. When she comes to room no one was here but she notices that she is in some provisional kitchen. It looks like a kitchen in a camp.

" Take what you want." sounded behind her. A young man went out from adjacent room – Caitlin thinks ist's a pantry. He is the one who helped her after what happened outside and treated her hands. She remembers his name is Marcos.

"Just need a coffee," she says and looks around to find a coffee pot.

" Sit down. I'll make it." Marcos nods and he directs her to one of the tables and he takes out two mugs. Then he takes glass which he brought – coffee and he fills into mugs. He adds water. Caitlin watches him how he pointed his hands to mugs and beams go out from them. Water began to boil before she could even blink.

"Handy" she notes when he put down one mug in front of her.

"Not always" he answers. Caitlin doesn't know what he means by that but she assumes it has something to do with the arrested mutant – his girlfriend, how someone told her so she rather lets it be.

"How are you feeling?" he asks after a while. Caitlin notices he was watching her all the time.

"Honestly? I don't know," she says him and it was true actually. Marcos seems confused or disappointed, she isn't sure, so she tries to explain it"Only thing I know is that my world is destroyed. I'm extremely worried about my husband. I don't know what they can do to him. I haven't any idea how to help Andy or what he actually needs. And then there is Lauren..." she doesn't know how to continue. How to describe the joy of having her daughter around again and at the same time the pain when she realized that Lauren found completely different lives without them – that this person isn't her Lauren anymore.

"What Andy needs will be given to him here if he lets us help him." Marcos answers her question with absolutely natural then he starts to be serious "About Lauren – you had to know she found a different life. She would return if she didn't find one." he notices.

"Would she?"Caitlin isn't sure about it. She wants to ask him if Lauren ever told about them but she doesn't know if she is strong enough to hear the answer. Marcos must read it on her face because he changes the subject "When everyone is awake, we will speak about how to save him."

"You help me get my husband back?" she asks with growing hope.

"I'm not leaving Lorna in prison. And I have guessed that they are at the same place wherever it is." he says her evasively"Come on, we can check the news."

"How is it that you are so calm?" she asks him. She needs to know.

"I already did something stupid," he says sadly.

They were at entrance hall when they heard a voice"Are you sure he'll be there?" asks voice and Caitlin surprisingly finds out that is Lauren's voice. Caitlin looks around and finds her daughter standing upstairs next to railing as she phones with someone. Caitlin wants to go to her and asks her if she has some new information but Marcos stops her that Lauren can't see them. Caitlin looks at him but he just shook his head. Caitlin thinks who could Lauren phone to so early in the morning when everybody sleep.

"Yes, I can get there in time." Lauren keeps talking so she didn't notice them.

"Ok, don't tell him anything or he'll run away." Lauren's voice was really authoritative Caitlin already saw how her daughter acts in this group – that she is one of the leaders. But this tone of voice is different in some way than the one she speaks with too the members of Mutant Underground. Caitlin just doesn't know why – until she heard next words"I'd advise it to you. You know what will happen to you if not." this words frost Caitlin into her bones. She can't imagine that Lauren could ever use this tone. It's definitely authoritative but also it's really threatening too. It's tone that Caitlin connects with someone who could do threats without problems. It definitely doesn't belong to her tiny daughter.

Caitlin looks at her daughter. Lauren cuts the call without farewell and she puts the phone into her pocket and she goes to the remnant of mirror wall where she hangs on her neck some chain. Caitlin doesn't see it right from her place. Lauren turns and looks around her. Probably only for control because everywhere is silence and Caitlin and Marcos didn't move. When she didn't see anybody, she slips through the door without hesitation and she disappears into the darkness of the morning. Caitlin turns to Marcos for an explanation but she doesn't get any. Marcos just continues in the way. If he knows an explanation, he doesn't intend to give it to her. Caitlin remembers words from the other boy"Whatever you think you know you don't know even half of the story."

What all they are hiding from her here? And why don't they tell her?


	5. Chapter 5

**Lauren's POV**

Lauren opens door of the bar. Inside is dark but cozy. Even so there weren't so many costumers. It isn't in the best discrit and it looks like brothel from outside. It's ideal place for a mutants and even more ideal for activites of the Organization – stuck but safety. Lauren's sure that no one with Sentinel Services's badge never came here. Lauren looks around and she focus on a man behind the counter. The bartender nods on her and he notices her to go to the back. If was this few costumers suprised by seventeen-years-old blonde , they didn't show it. Lauren holds her head up confidently and she wends to back room which was used only by mutants – by the Organization actually. There was different atmosfer which changes when the other mutants noticed her. Lauren resists desire to fix her chain with the logo of the Organization and she goes to the table in the corner.

There is sitting a nervouse-looks man. Even if he knows he is older and bigger then she, he pales as wall when she sits opposite to him.

"You know you look like you aren't happy to see me, David?" she asks him amused. She knows very much that everybody around are listening.

David fixs his glasses"Realy?" he stutters"I... you ...that isn't the truth."

Lauren is sorry for him. She wasn't in the mood for being kind but she decides for diplomatic way. She knows it'll by faster and much easier in David's case. She smiles at him and asks "How are you? We didn't see each other for so long time."

"I'm fine." he answers quckly. Lauren watches his fight inside him. The fight between fear and desire to get rid of her. The desire wins for once"Just say what you want from me." it sounds like beging.

David is one of the least brave people she ever met. Thank his memory he has something on almost everyone. He collects informations for the Organization but another use his office too. Lauren doesn't know anybody who would want to harm him, he is to much valuable. But it seems it isn't calming him. He is always afraid or nervous, a lot.

Lauren doesn't want to bother him and she hasn't time so she get to the point"Few days back Sentinel Services arestted a famale mutant called Polaris. Where is she now?"

David alerts and he looks confused"I thought you'll be keen on the prosecutor Strucker." when he realized what he said he looks so terrified.

Lauren smiles at him to comfort him "Belive me I could get to it too. But Polaris is more important for Mutants Underground."

David nods for understooding "Then you have luck... I mean you'll have it lots of easier" he stutters again.

"Daivd" Lauren stop stream of words and she gets him back to the point. David thinks for while and he compares thoughts – he usally has chaos in them – and then he says slowly "I mean they are in the same place. They are in the relention cell now. You can't get there but they'll be transpored elsewhere in two days – by plane." he looks at her to find out if she caught his idea. Lauren thinks for while and then she asks "Do you know which way they want to get them to the airport?"

"Ofcourse I do." he says more calming when he saw he pleasure her "I sending you the route and I'll controlling if anything change." he asures her.

"Great" Lauren praises him. Known fight appears in David's face then he asks "You really want to atack Sentinel Services so openly?"

Lauren knows she doesn't want to, it looks so much like her old job "They don't give me exactly another chance, do they?"

David nods, seems he can't wait for her to let him be but needs one more thing "I don't have to say you that I don't want The Organization know abou this, have I?"

"Don't worry." David says and adds "What if He asks me," he continues "or Will?"

"I don't think this is their business." she answers indefintely, letting him explain it however he wants.


End file.
